First aid treatment of external hemorrhaging on a limb is typically administered by placing an absorbent pad on the wound and wrapping an elastomeric bandage (e.g. a Tensor® bandage) around the absorbent pad and limb. The bandage is typically wrapped around the limb one or more times and then affixed in place with a clasp. The bandage holds the absorbent pad on the wound and applies pressure to the wound.
Because the elastomeric bandage is wrapped around the limb, the bandage exerts generally uniform compression pressure around the circumference of the limb. This uniform pressure has a number of drawbacks. Since pressure is not localized at the wound site, but is distributed around the circumference of the limb, the pressure at the wound site may not be adequate to stop the blood flow. For severe bleeding, the bandage must be wrapped extremely tightly around the limb to apply sufficient pressure at the wound site to slow and stop the flow of blood. This extreme pressure can create serious discomfort for the patient and can also lead to a loss of circulation in the limb.
Devices for applying pressure to a wound are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,056 (Stevens et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 7,135,032 (Åkerfeldt), U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,520 (Bruckner et al.), PCT Application Publication No. WO99/08723 (Magasi), Great Britain Patent No. 21, 060 (Carvell et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,723 (Grau). However, the devices described in these references are difficult or time-consuming to apply, or cumbersome to wear. As such, these devices are not practical for use in emergency situations, combat situations, low light situations, self treatment situations or other situations in which there is only a limited time to treat a seriously wounded person. Such devices are limited in their applicability to circumstances where the injured person may need to resume activity while wearing the dressing on the wound.
There is a general desire for apparatus and methods for treatment of hemorrhaging which ameliorate at least some of these or other disadvantages with prior art hemorrhaging treatment devices.